Self-threadihg loom shuttle



SePt- 10, 1929. G. A. LITCHFIELD 1,728,150

SELF THREADING LOOM SHUTTLE Filed OCC. 12, 1927 lIr\\ www@ I v "'fjs 4 v7 d' fwn/WMM.

Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITE@ Pialhltil" OFFICE.

GEORGE A. LITCHFIELD, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS. ASSIGNOR TO LITCH-FIELD SHUTTLE COMPATY, OF SOU'IHBRDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFINIASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-THBEADING LOOIJI SHUTTLE.

Application filed October 12, 1227.

This invention relates to loom shuttles, and particularly to those ofthe self-threading type in which the thread or `yarn is required toautomatically 'thread itself after a fresh bobbin has been inserted inthe bobbin chamber of the shuttle.

The present improvements are intended to provide a construction thatwill7 to the greatest possible degree, facilitate the easy and 10certain threading` of the shuttle, while` reliably preventing theaccidental escape of the yarn therefrom after it has been threaded.

In the efforts to produce a threading construction that will be proofagainst untlireading, the practical tendencyhas been toward providingmeans for over-hanging the thread passage, such means being usually soarranged as to obstruct or impede the usual threading of the shuttle. Mypresent improvement is designed to provide threading means which will,to the greatest possible degree, facilitate passage of the thread intothe yarn-admitting passage without obstruction, while providing anadjacent thread passage so arranged that the yarn must pass from theadmission slot into the thread passage, while making it virtuallyimpossible for the yarn to escape from the thread passage into theadmission iLiiassage or slot. Furthermore, means are provided-`intermediate of the forward and rear ends of the passage, to choke orrestrict the ballooning of the yarn both for the purpose of providingany desired tensioning' of the yarn and also to prevent the ballooning'from carrying it out of the thread passage and thus lead to possiblecle-threading of the yarn. One advantage of the present improvement isthat it is exceedingly simple and inexpensive to construct in exactlythe form and proportions desired, and avoids the troublesome practice invogue heretofore of attempting to cast the thread-block in an open ordistorted shape and thereafter bend the parts of the thread-block intotheir desired final position or relationship after it has been machined.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a form of constructionand arrange ment embodying' the principles of this invention, in whichSerial No. 225,770.

Figure l is a plan View of the forepart of a shuttle containing myimproved threading block properly secured therein.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View on the plane 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a detail plan View of the threaded block detached from theshuttle.

Figure 4 is a rear end elevation of the same.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the threader block as viewed from theoutlet side of the shuttle.

Figure (i is a bottom plan View of the threader block.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the threader block.

Figure 8 is a detail View in rear elevation of the threaderblock-casting before it is machined in the manner hereinafter described.

ln practice, the shuttle body a has the usual forepart provided with thethreader block containing recess c in which the threading block isfirmly secured by the usual locking bolt lO passing transversely throughits rear- Yard bottom portion. As usual also7 the block-receiving recessis provided with a lateral outlet passage (l for permitting the deliveryofthe yarn in the weaving operation.

The threader block l comprises a rear portion occupying about one-halfthe length of the block that is wide enough to extend substantiallybeyond the medial axis of the shuttle. on both sides, and is partlysubdivided by a longitudinal vertical slot located to form the maindeflecting member 3 and the supplemental deflecting member 4. the formerhaving a forwardly projecting continuation of conoidal form forming adetlecting beak 2, terminating in a downwardly extending tapered tip 2n.lying adjacent to the opposite vertical wall of the forward portion c ofthe recess c, the beak overhanging the outlet passage rl into which theinthreading yarn is deflected by the downwardly and rearwardly inclinedsurface of a deflectinghorn 5, arranged at the forward end of thethreader block.

As clearly shown in Figures 2, 4 and 7, the top surface of the rear halfof the threaderblock casting is formed with oppositely inclined orcurved, downwardly extending surfaces forming a sort oit elongatedconvei throat tlnough the rear half ot the threauinLV block. Thisconverging throat or trough can be readily slotted longitudinally toanydesired width, according to the sine oit the yarn that the shuttle isintended to use, this forming a vertical admission or inlet passagewithout the slightest obstruction to the admission of the yarn to thebottom thereof.

The main rear portion 3 is longitudinally bored or drilled to anydesired diameter` according to the range ot yarn to be used, as shown at3a, this bore extending in substantial parallelism with the admissionslot l` through the rear h alf of the thread block, and being divided orseparated from the admis'- sion passage by the depending lip portion 3"of the main rear member By means ot a breach the lower portion of thisvertical. separating wall 3l can be cut awayv to form a narrowlongitudinal. communicating slit for the passage of the yarn Jfrom thebottom portion of the admission slot into the yarncon- .tining passage3a. These operations are readily7 performed so as to give each orpassage the desired width or diameter to suit the particularrequirements oi' the various sizes of yarn, whether cotton, silh orwool, for which the shuttle is intended.

It will be noticed that the forwardly eirtending inner edge of theconoidal bealr` 2 is lfterally offset with relation to the admissionslot l, and its inwardly sloped surface at this point forms acontinuation of the similarly sloped surface of the rear member 8 toinsure the deflection of the yarn into the bottom of the slot la. Itwill also be noticed that the longitudinal slot l, and the inner edge 2bot the beak, while arranged in laterally offset planes, are disposed inplanes slightly oblique to the longitudinal medial axis of the shuttleso that it these two planes be continued they will intersect differentportions o'l' the side vall c2 of the forepart recess through which theyarn passes in the inthreading operation. rEhe downwardlf,1 entendingtapered tip 2 is located in closel proxin'iity to the opposing portionof the wall c2, the intervening space here being preterably veryslightly narrower than the diameter of the yarn to be used but notsufficiently narrow to prevent easy passage of the yarn under and aroundthis tip as it is deflected downwardly by the :forward edge of thedefleeting horn 5.

In line with the undercut portion 5L ot the forward horn 5 is mountedthe usual wear pin 6, which may be of hardened steel or porcelain,around which the yarn maires a quarter turn as it passes through thelateral outlet passage CZ.

A telt plug 7 is inserted in the threadblock so as to pass through thevarn passage 32, intermediate oit the ends thereof, and to avoidobstruct-ing the communicating slit forming the entrance to the threadpassage 8, this intermediate plug is set obliquely in the threaderblock, thus confining the ballooning to the upper portion oit the yarnpas This arrangement of the yarn-retardw infr and clicking member i'permits the suiticient freedom oitl the yarn uncoiling over the end otthe bobbin, while it makes it virtually impossible for the yarn toaccidentally escape from the yarn passage since its revolution, whileunwinoing, is in a direction that guides itaway from any tendency topass out through the communicating slit and, furthermore, owing to theconsiderable length or elongation ot the pa rtitiou wall 3l, there isnot the opportunity for a loop of the yarn to pass out of this elongateeslot, such as is aliorded when only a narrow or short obstruction isprovided against the escape ot' the yarn.

rlhe main deiiecting` surface for inverting the yarn into the shuttle,of course, is formed by the inwardly sloped surface extending trom therear of the member 3 to the vt'orward point end of the beak, while theopposing` rear member il does provide an inward and downward detlectingsurface when the ballooning yarn impinges upon that side of theadmission slot. The member a also iforms a bra-'3e :tort receiving andsupporting the inward thrust of the pressure exerted by thespring-pressed shuttle bei; arm against the cut away and weakenedorepart wall on the inlet side of the shuttle, and this prevents thesplitting of this wall which often result-s from such pressure. Themember il is provided with a lateral boss la seated in a suitably formedsocket or vertical recess to aid in holding the shuttle threader inprecisely the correct position, and this anchoring is 'turthersupplemented by a depending lug 8 seated in a corresponding recess inthe bottom l ,U or the portion of @ne torepart. The forward end or apexof the conoidal beak 2, instead ot being depressed or bent downwardly,in an elevated plane a substantial. oistanee above the bottom of thedetlecting horn so that there is no tendency to prevent the yarn fromreadily slipping around the dspendingtip oli the beak into delec'tingen. Ugement with the forward inclined edge ot e horn 5. Indeed the yarnhas the utmost freedom or' ingress for the inthreading movement, while,owing to the construction and relation of the parts described,accidental escape from its proper threaded position ispracticallimpossible under actual conditions oi" service.

That I claim is:

l. A self-threading shuttle embracing in its construction a shuttletore-part termed with a block-receiving recess, Aa threading blocksecured therein, the rear haliz ot said block being provided with athreadedmit ting slot between vertical parallelI walls whose uppersurfaces are oppositely inclined liti ETSO

throughout their length to lead the thread into the bottom of said slot,the portion on the inlet side of said slot being longitudinally bored toform a longitudinal thread passage substantially parallel with saidslot.` the intervening depending wall being cut away slightlyY above thelevel of the bottom of said slot 'to form an elongated slit for theadmission of the thread from said slot into said thread passage, theupper portion of the block, forwardly of said slot, forming :1deflecting conoidal beak terminating in a downward projecting tip inproximity to the opposite side wall of the thread block recess.

2. A threading' block for insert-ion in the block-receiving recess of ashuttle foreparl', embracing in its construction a longitudinal blockwhose rear portion is substantially oil'- set beyond the inner edge ofits forward portion and is provided Vith an elongated vcrticallongitudinal admission slot forming a downward continuation ofconvergent top surfaces on opposite sides of the slot beyond the medialaxis of the shuttle from let side. the block being also prlongitudinally bored thread aga rrr-fending alongside the vertical sloton the outlet side thereof and having eomniunicalion wir said slotthrough an elongated narrow slit located at the bottom of t-he slot. thefoi-wa rd portion of the block forming a conoinal beak, and having anunderneath horn whose ferward edge is inclined rearwardly anddoi-rnwardly to guide the yarn downwardly and rearwardly into thethread-eye of the shuttle.

3. A thread block for insertion into a receiving' recess in the forepartof a shuttle` embracing a conoidal surfaced forwardly extending beakwhose ai iproxiniatel v strai inner edge extends slightly beyond theuiedial axis of the shuttle and a rearward portion laterally offsetbeyond the inner edge of the beak, said offset portion extending'approximately half the length of the bloei; and being vertically slottedthroughout il" length and having downwardly sloped convergent topsurfaces leading into said slot. a longitudinally disposed yarn passageextending alongside said slot and separated therefrom except at thebottom by a vertically depending elongated partition wall arranged toprevent the lateral escape of yarn from said passage.

fl. A thread block for insertion into a receiving recess in the forepartof a shuttle, embracing a conoidal surfaced forwardly extending' beakwhose approximately straight inner edge extends slightly beyond themcdial axis of the shuttle and a rearward portion laterally offsetbeyond the inner edge of the beak, said offset portion extendingapproximately half the length of the block and being vertically slottedthroughout its length and having downwardly sloped couvergent topsurfaces leading into said slot,

a. longitudinally disposed yarn passage extending alongside said slotand separated therefrom except at the bottom by a vertically dependingelongated partition wall arranged to prevent the lateral escape of yarnfrom said passage, a yarn-retarding member inserted obliquely throughsaid passage intermediate of its ends.

5. A thread block for insertion into a receiving recess in the forepartof a shuttle, embracing a conoidal surfaced forwardly extending beakwhose approximately straight inner edge extends slightly beyond themedial axis of the shuttle and a rearward portion laterally offsetbeyond the inner edge of the beak, said offset portion extendingapproximately half the length of the block and being vertically slottedthroughout its length and having downwardly sloped convergent topsurfaces leading into said slot, a longitudinally disposed yarn passageextending alongside said slot and separated therefrom except at thebottom by a vertically depending elongated partition wall arranged toprevent the lateral escape of yarn from said pas-. sage, means insertedin said passage intermediate of its ends to restrict the ballooning andfrictionally retard the yarn traveling to ard the shuttle outlet, whileleaving the space below said partition clear for the ingress of theyarn.

G. A threading block for insertion in the forepart of a loom shuttle,embracing in its construction a tapered forward portion terminating atits apex in a downwardly extending tip in close proximity to theopposing interior wall ofthe shuttle forepart, and a rear portion formedwith downwardly sloped convergentfaces forming an elongated deflectingtrough beyond the medial axis of the shuttlesaid trough being continueddownwardly by an elongated vertical slot, the rear part being alsoprovided with a circularly bored longitudinal passage extending parallelto said slot and having lateral communication therewith at its bottomonly by means of an elongated slit, thereby presenting no obstacle tothe ingress of yarn into said passage while preventing its lateralescape therefrom.

T. A threading block for insertion into the forepart of a loom shuttlehaving extending longitudinally through its rear portion side by side acylindrical thread passage, and a narrow vertical inlet slot separatedtherefrom by an elongated partition wall extending nearly to the commonlevel of the bottoms thereof, and having a forwardly extending' tapercdbeak provided with a depending rearwardly inclined underneath dellectinghorn for guiding the inthreaded yarn to the thread-eye of the shuttle.

ln witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

GEORGE A. LITCI-IFIELD.

